Austin Hatch got the moment he and John Beilein had waited a long time for.
Some 20 minutes before Michigan and Ohio State tipped off Sunday afternoon, Hatch walked through Crisler Center's Blavin Tunnel to a thunderous ovation as he was honored at Michigan's senior day.
Hatch, who survived two deadly plane crashes as a youth and was forced into a medically induced coma after a June 2011 crash, just days after he committed to play at Michigan, walked onto the floor dressed in his Michigan uniform before embracing with Beilein near midcourt.
He was then mobbed by the rest of his teammates in celebration before receiving his ceremonial senior day jersey, alongside teammates Jaaron Simmons, Duncan Robinson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman.
Hatch appeared in five games for the Wolverines during the 2014-15 season, but took a medical redshirt, effectively ending his playing career, before the start of the 2015-16 season.
That means Hatch is, per NCAA rule, unable to play Sunday against Ohio State.
Michigan still did everything it could to make the moment special, though, as Hatch was announced as Sunday's honorary captain with the rest of Michigan's starting lineup.
"I don't think it's an accident I ended up at a place like Michigan. I don't think there was any better place I could've been in the country given the circumstances," Hatch said Friday. "I don't think there's a better man that I could have played for. He's taught me more about life and that's the ultimate measure of a coach.
"A good coach wins basketball games and you can see the results and the impact he has on his team. But the impact he has on developing his players as young men, I know I've definitely grown as a man and I'll take lessons I've learned from him for the rest of my life. ... It's a special bond and it's not going to end when I graduate in April."
